Apple takes popular iOS apps free as App Store 5th anniversary approaches [u]
As the iOS App Store's fifth anniversary approaches, Apple has reportedly made a number of high-ranking apps free, including popular games like Infinity Blade II and relatively expensive titles like Traktor DJ.
Update: Apple has confirmed the free games and apps are indeeed in celebration of the App Store's fifth anniversary, and has subsequently collected the gratis titles in dedicated section that can be found in the iOS app. Also included on the new App Store page is an interactive milestone timeline showing pertinent events in the store's history.
First spotted by The Verge early Monday, an unknown number of iOS apps are now free to download for both the iPhone and iPad, with titles spanning across genres and price ranges.
Games like Badland, Infinity Blade II, Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP, Tiny Wings, and Where's My Water? are all complimentary, while other apps include Barefoot World Atlas, Day One, Over, and Traktor DJ for iPad. With the price slashing, users can save anywhere from $0.99 to $19.99.
While Apple has yet to make an official announcement regarding the free app selection, or collect them into a dedicated App Store section, it is thought that the move is in celebration of the digital storefront's upcoming fifth anniversary on July 10.
The company sent out a poster last week detailing a timeline of major App Store milestones, including explosive growth that saw 1 billion downloads in 2009, 10 billion in 2011, and 50 billion this past May. Apple also noted that the store has generated more than $10 billion for app developers to date.
Update: Apple has confirmed the free games and apps are indeeed in celebration of the App Store's fifth anniversary, and has subsequently collected the gratis titles in dedicated section that can be found in the iOS app. Also included on the new App Store page is an interactive milestone timeline showing pertinent events in the store's history.
First spotted by The Verge early Monday, an unknown number of iOS apps are now free to download for both the iPhone and iPad, with titles spanning across genres and price ranges.
Games like Badland, Infinity Blade II, Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP, Tiny Wings, and Where's My Water? are all complimentary, while other apps include Barefoot World Atlas, Day One, Over, and Traktor DJ for iPad. With the price slashing, users can save anywhere from $0.99 to $19.99.
While Apple has yet to make an official announcement regarding the free app selection, or collect them into a dedicated App Store section, it is thought that the move is in celebration of the digital storefront's upcoming fifth anniversary on July 10.
The company sent out a poster last week detailing a timeline of major App Store milestones, including explosive growth that saw 1 billion downloads in 2009, 10 billion in 2011, and 50 billion this past May. Apple also noted that the store has generated more than $10 billion for app developers to date.
Comments
Especially its Multiplayer mode is super engaging and fun.
If that is the case, Apple would be taking money of there own budget to pay developers while its free for the end user perhaps.
Its Apple's way of saying Thank you, whereby they bear the cost of the apps.
There a selected bunch of apps put up for the anniversary.
Any idea how long a duration this "promotion" is going to span ?
It is surprising, or perhaps not, that Apple has started to promotion without publicizing it.
http://www.tancosin.com/Apps/apple-giving-away-its-top-paid-apps-for-free-for-a-limited-time/
Why do we think Apple is "giving these apps away for free?" The only fact is that some apps are free now that weren't free recently. The sellers control the pricing. So either they worked out a deal with Apple or they decided to buy mindshare by giving away their older apps. Infinity Blade (the original) was changed to a free app after a few years and I'm sure it helped sell a lot of copies of Infinity Blade II. I seriously doubt Apple is footing the bill for this.
Generally developers get 70% of the price at time of sale. Apple may be giving them some kind of small payment but it is likely blanket. After all they will get a ton of free press off this. AND they had to agree to be part of the whole thing. So if they don't like the terms they could have said no.
Quote:
Originally Posted by malax
Why do we think Apple is "giving these apps away for free?" The only fact is that some apps are free now that weren't free recently. The sellers control the pricing. So either they worked out a deal with Apple or they decided to buy mindshare by giving away their older apps. Infinity Blade (the original) was changed to a free app after a few years and I'm sure it helped sell a lot of copies of Infinity Blade II. I seriously doubt Apple is footing the bill for this.
Yeah, hard to believe that Apple, as cash strapped as they are, would spend this relatively small amount of money to give back to there customers. Next thing you know they will give away 100 free songs to press members. Or maybe free cases to people that perceive a weaker antenna signal cause of the unusual way they hold it. Or a refund to original iPhone owners after they decided to drop the price a couple months after intro. Of course there are those that think that the positive press and the fact that Apple wants to keep up the good vibes with the customer base that appreciate this kind of gesture (me for one) may continue to generate return customers. I'd say a customer for life that buys their computer, tablets and phones as well as other miscellany on a return basis for life and tells their friends is well worth paying a small amount to developers.
Yes they may have well negotiated a less than 70% fee for the Apps from the developers (wholesale if you will) but even if they pay the entire 70% this is a very small some of money compared to what they pay for other advertising campaigns.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lists-to-do/id588226351?mt=8
Quote:
Originally Posted by Damn_Its_Hot
Yeah, hard to believe that Apple, as cash strapped as they are, would spend this relatively small amount of money to give back to there customers. Next thing you know they will give away 100 free songs to press members. Or maybe free cases to people that perceive a weaker antenna signal cause of the unusual way they hold it. Or a refund to original iPhone owners after they decided to drop the price a couple months after intro. Of course there are those that think that the positive press and the fact that Apple wants to keep up the good vibes with the customer base that appreciate this kind of gesture (me for one) may continue to generate return customers. I'd say a customer for life that buys their computer, tablets and phones as well as other miscellany on a return basis for life and tells their friends is well worth paying a small amount to developers.
Yes they may have well negotiated a less than 70% fee for the Apps from the developers (wholesale if you will) but even if they pay the entire 70% this is a very small some of money compared to what they pay for other advertising campaigns.
My point was there is zero evidence (so far at least) that Apple implemented this change. Given that the list that someone assembled above shows that this affects maybe 20 apps, and given that Apple has made no announcement about this, the safer bet would be that this is not some Apple-funded promotion. Because, you know, usually people promote promotions. As in: "Hey we're giving you these free apps to thank you for your business!" etc. In all the example you cite, it is crystal clear that Apple is providing the benefit.
But let's wait and see, shall we? I suspect lots of other developers will put some of their older apps "on sale" for free to get in on this event.
Full list of the free apps.
You may want to keep an eye on TouchArcade's forum, "Price Drops, Must-Have Freebies, and Deals", here ..
http://forums.toucharcade.com/forumdisplay.php?f=27
Along with AppShopper ..
http://appshopper.com/iphone/all/prices/free/
(You may want to select different categories)
Good luck.
The password function prevents somebody from accessing your files from within the app, but all of the files can be accessed by any other program without any difficulties whatsoever.
Just writing this because a lot of people want real security in journal apps if they're documenting personal thoughts and/or using a journal app for storing sensitive information. There are plenty of other journal apps that use encryption so that only the app itself can read the files/open the pictures, which makes the password system more than a minor annoyance to anyone who might want to get into your journal entries.
Bloom Built promised encryption was coming when they first launched Day One, but have since backed away from that promise.
How does one access this "easy-to-find folder on the phone"? Hook the phone up to a Windoze box?